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SOCCER: Donovan's chance at redemption

The United States’ participation in the Gold Cup will get underway today as it plays Belize in Portland, Ore. It will be the first of up to six matches for Donovan to reclaim a spot on the squad when World Cup qualifying resumes in September.

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SOCCER: Donovan's chance at redemption

The United States' Landon Donovan, right, reacts after scoring on a penalty kick as Guatemala's goalkeeper Ricardo Jerez gets up at left in the second half during an international friendly soccer match Friday, July 5, 2013, in San Diego.

As the 2013 Gold Cup gets underway, though, Donovan will be just that. Having gone nearly one year between games for the national team will do that.

The United Statesâ participation in the Gold Cup will get underway today as it plays Belize in Portland, Ore. It will be the first of up to six matches for Donovan to reclaim a spot on the squad when World Cup qualifying resumes in September.

For Donovan, part of the re-introduction process ended Friday when the U.S. played Guatemala in San Diego.

âIn the lead-up this week it felt different being sort of the newcomer again and coming in with guys who have been here a few weeks in a row now, guys who have been part of this team for a long time,â Donovan said after the match.

His return to the national team, though, went as well as he could have hoped. After a rusty start, he found his touch and was his usual dangerous self. He earned a penalty kick, which he converted, then scored another goal, a nifty volley, in what wound up being a 6-0 rout.

To his teammates anyway, itâs as if Donovan were never gone.

âHeâll tell you that heâs not back to the Landon (of old), but the second goal showed that heâs there,â teammate DaMarcus Beasley said. âHe can make things happen on the field, and thatâs what we need. We need attacking players that make things happen.â

For much of Jurgen Klinsmannâs tenure as national team coach, Donovan has been on the outside looking in. Part of that was due to fate â" injuries robbed him of some time last year â" while part of that has been Klinsmannâs choice, as Donovan was not on the teamâs roster for critical June qualifiers.

Donovan though has not done himself any favors, declining call-ups due to important Galaxy matches, then taking a months-long sabbatical from the game.

But the Gold Cup is his chance at redemption. Itâs his chance to remind everyone that he was and perhaps still is the best player in U.S. soccer history and can still be a valuable asset in reaching and playing in the 2014 World Cup.

âI expect a lot out of him,â U.S. striker Herculez Gomez said after Donovanâs two-goal performance. âI hope he keeps building on that. (Heâs someone who can) play with a chip on their shoulder, and if you know what itâs like and how highly motivational that can be, it can give you an edge. I know what thatâs like, and I think Landon can be a very dangerous player if he takes that.â

Donovanâs critics have questioned his motivation and his desire to play for the U.S. national team, but should he reach his ultimate goal of hoisting the trophy at the end of the month, he will have silenced them yet again.

âWe want to do well and we want to succeed and I want to be part of it, whether thatâs playing every minute every game, whether thatâs playing and contributing a little bit, whether thatâs just being on the bench and helping,â Donovan said. âI want to be holding a trophy at the end of the month, and I think we all feel that way.â

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